So my roommate had a hankering for a new fishy friend yesterday. We decided to go buy a Siamese Fighting Fish, or Betta fish, as most people here in the U.S. call them (Betta splendens). They have affectionately been dubbed “The Jewel of the Orient” for their beautiful, billowing fins and dazzling colors. Oddly enough, though, the ancestors of these fishies were rather dull, with only greenish/brown pigmentation. Colors came about only after years and years of selective breeding.

So why did people begin collecting them, then, if they weren’t much to look at originally? A clue can be found in it’s name – Siamese fighting fish. The people of Siam (now Thailand) originally started collecting these fish, Known as “pla kat,” which means tearing or biting fish, prior to the 19th century because the fish would spar with each other. People would wager large amounts of money on these fights, with potential losses as great as a person’s home! Seeing the popularity of these fights, the King of Siam started licensing and collecting these fighting fish and the hobby of collecting and breeding them has continued ever since…

I will be adding a photo of our new Betta later today after we fix up it’s little aquarium but until then…

See more INCREDIBLE photos of the fish after the jump, plus a super cute HD video!

About Carly

I have a confession: I love animals. Join me and the rest of the Featured Creature community as we learn about the weirdest, coolest, and craziest animals out there. Including your dog, Mr. Scrufflebutt (if you submit him!).